Dreamers Die Young
by Aran Tera
Summary: Chapter 6 is up with an interesting new development. And hopefully that nasty problem with the computer is fixed...
1. Default Chapter

X-2 Fanfic: Dreamers Die Young  
By: Aran Tera  
Chapter 1  
  
Riley Benarro glanced at her alarm clock and cussed, rolling off her bed to hit the floor. She groaned and struggled upright, foisting the clingy blankets off her. Pulling on a pair of capris and an overly large t- shirt, she grabbed her backpack and bounced down the stairs. She bid good- bye to the person in the kitchen, she really didn't see who it was, and ran to the bus stop, hoping to catch the giant yellow monstrosity before it left the stop. It was just pulling away when Riley came up and her friend, Cail Hoff, stopped the bus before it got too far down the street. She slid on the bus and took a seat across the aisle from Cail.  
  
"You almost missed the bus again," he said accusingly, his pale blue eyes shining with mirth. "This is the second time this week and the who knows how manyeth time this month," he told her, using another made up word.  
  
Cail was an inventor. He was always coming up with his own words when real ones didn't suit his purpose and he had a basement full of things the FBI would love to investigate. His mind was always coming up with something new and consequently, he was always falling behind in his classes. Riley, of course, was no help at all.  
  
She too, was failing almost every class, but not because of lack of interest. She just couldn't get the material. Even if she spent every waking moment studying the text and notes, it all fell out of her head before classes. She hated how that happened, but her teachers, for some odd reason, would never give her an F on anything. No matter how horribly she did, she would receive a D or a D-. It confused her to no end but if she didn't fail high school, her foster parents had told her that she didn't have to go to college and that it was her decision.  
  
"Not my fault," Riley told Cail. "Damn alarm clock didn't go off when it was supposed to and I had another one of those dreams." Cail's eyebrows went up; he was interested.  
  
"And?" he prompted.  
  
"Not now. People," she said, jerking her head towards the back of the bus where the popular kids sat, swapping jokes and laughing up a storm. Cail rolled his eyes but obligingly didn't say anything once they were well off the bus and out of earshot of anyone else.  
  
"So?" he asked.  
  
"So I had another crazy dream, what's to know?" Riley snapped, semi- irritated. Cail blinked and held his hands up defensively.  
  
"Just wanted to see if I could help," he said, walking towards the double doors leading into the school. Riley immediately felt bad for him, and hurried to catch up.  
  
"Hey, Cail. Listen, I'm sorry about that. I'm just a little on edge today. Things aren't going very smooth over at the Benarro's." Cail gave her a sympathetic grin, but continued walking.  
  
"Hey, come on, Cail. Don't start this again," Riley pleaded, holding the door closed. The last time he had walked away like that, it had resulted in a 2-week battle of sorts, ending with the two begin on edge for a while afterwards. They had promised not to let it happen again, but here it was, about to show up again.  
  
"Remember last time? Don't do this to me. You, and you alone, know me. I can't lose that." Cail turned to face her, confusion in his eyes.  
  
"No one knows you, Riley. You don't let anyone." He brushed past her, forcing her grip on the door to slacken and lurched into the school. She stared after him, disbelieving that something as trivial as a dream could upset their friendship so much. For a second, she considered shouting after him or running up and telling him she was sorry, but after all, she decided, it was his choice to get worked up about something this stupid. It was just a dream for Pete's sake.  
  
[AN: Be patient, readers, this will speed up, I just decided it was wise to introduce characters first before I got to the mutation. Next chapter should be up in a couple days, bug me if you want it sooner!] 


	2. Chapter 2

Dreamers Die Young - Chapter 2  
  
Riley sat through her classes that day with an air of feigned interest. She was the first to leave her last block class and was in top twenty to get out the front double doors. Her backpack was heavy with the books required to do the homework that had been assigned. Riley kept her eyes on the ground and wove through the people outside in an effort to catch her bus before it left without her, again.  
  
"Riley!" a voice called from across the parking lot. She looked up, curious expression on her face. It was Cail. Riley rolled her eyes along with an exaggerated rolling of her head, and walked on, ignoring him. She could hear Cail's exasperated sigh and grinned inwardly. He was getting what he deserved.  
  
It took her three times the amount of time to walk to her home instead of taking the bus. It had left without her, how typical. Riley pushed the front door open and was immediately confronted by a barrage of questions.  
  
"Where were you, young lady? You scared Tom and me half to death. The bus showed up but you didn't. Do you know how worried we were?" Riley's foster mother stood only about a yard away, looking furious. Riley blinked at her and mounted the stairs to her room. Her foster mom, Tria, grabbed onto her arm and pulled her off the stairs, wrenching her around to face her.  
  
"You will answer me, young lady."  
  
"Where was I?" Tria nodded. "I missed the bus. Simple as that. Had to talk to a teacher after school and teachers aren't allowed to give students a ride home, you know that. So cut the act. Everyone knows you only took me in because you wouldn't have a kid of your own." Riley gestured to Tria's slightly bulging stomach.  
  
"You're getting one now, so why should you care about me, huh? In a few short years, I'll be on my own and you won't have to pretend to worry. The adoption center only rigged your house temporarily." Riley pulled her arm out of Tria's grasp and started walking up the stairs. "If you don't mind, I have homework to do." She could have sworn she heard Tria mutter the word smartass after her, but couldn't be sure.  
  
Once in her room, Riley threw her backpack into a corner and picked up her book, beginning to read where she had left off.  
  
*~* *~* *~* *~*  
  
"She hates me now," Cail muttered, at his own home as well. He lay on his bed in a pig-sty of a room, staring at the ceiling. No one else was in the house. His mom had gone shopping, his dad was still at work and his brother was out doing something with his girlfriend. Cail had raided the fridge as soon as he got home and taken his new wealth up to his room. He now tore into a Snickers bar, eyeing the glow-in-the-dark stars Riley had given him last Christmas. They reminded him of her, in a sappy corny way. He sighed, thinking that he probably shouldn't have said all those things to her before school started. He was the only friend she had after all, however weird that was.  
  
Sitting up, Cail discarded the now empty Snickers wrapper and wrapped his arms around his knees. A look of intense concentration crossed his face for a minute then he sighed.  
  
"What can't I ever get it?" he asked the empty room.  
  
"Dunno, bro," his brother answered, apparently home from his 'date' or whatever it had been. If he was home, then that meant.Cail wrenched his door open and ran down the stairs, skipping the last four and heading to the garage. His car waited for him there, a black mustang with decal flames coming from the wheels. Hopping into the driver's seat, he opened the garage door and squealed out and down the road.  
  
*~* *~* *~* *~*  
  
"He's out there, Logan. I can feel him."  
  
"I can too, and that's what scares me," a gruff voice answered. The first speaker was a serene looking man in a wheelchair. He had the look of one who is infinitely patient and gentle. The other, however, had no such appearance. Blue-black hair was mussed up on his head and long sideburns adorned his cheeks. A leather jacket was worn over a pair of ripped jeans and a T-shirt. His face appeared as a mask of slight anger to hide his real emotions. The first one, Charles Xavier, turned his wheelchair to face the other, Logan.  
  
"We have nothing to fear from him. As long as he keeps to himself, no danger will come to anyone."  
  
"Now, that's where you're wrong, Professor. He won't keep to himself. He'll want to see the extent of his powers and that's where Magneto comes in. He'll take the kid under his wing and teach him tactics that he can turn on us. It'll happen, Professor. You just watch," Logan growled.  
  
Xavier wheeled about and exited the room. "I hope your wrong, Logan. This once."  
  
[Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except Riley. Cail I got from someone else. I'm not mentioning names though, so back off. I don't own them, never will and if you sue me, I sue back.] 


	3. Chapter 3

Dreamers Die Young - Chapter 3  
  
As to fan comments: Spicy - this is more of an OC fic than Pyro, but you'll have to wait and see what happens.  
  
Riley put her book down only with she was sure her foster parents had gone to bed for the night and were actually sleeping instead of waiting up in an attempt to catch her at some mischief. They never had, but then again, Riley had never done anything to deserve them catching her. She walked down the stairs slowly and quietly, skipping the creaky one three stairs from the bottom. The house was totally silent, save for the rhythmic ticking of the cuckoo clock in the other room. Riley grabbed her windbreaker and slipped out the front door into the night.  
  
The only light on the street was a pair of streetlamps positioned at either end of the small road. Crickets chirped and fireflies danced around, giving an almost movie-ish feel to the whole thing. Riley wouldn't have been surprised to hear the director shout 'cut'. But, as it was, it was just an ordinary old street and there were no directors or actors anywhere near there. She sighed and pulled her jacket closer. If it wasn't for these late night meetings with Cail, she never would have made it through the first couple years with her foster parents.  
  
The community park was the only place the two could decide on that wasn't too far for either of them to travel at night. Of course, both were worried about the other, though they never showed it. Riley entered the park through the smaller west entrance and made her way to the fountains at the center of the park. There was no one there and for a moment Riley thought Cail had decided not to show up after their argument. But no other argument had kept either of them from the park any other time, so why should it have now?  
  
Riley walked around the fountain twice then sat down on the rim. A siren went off somewhere in the downtown area, a normal thing these days. She reached over and trailed her fingers in the water, debating whether to go home or to wait for Cail. Her mind was made up for her when she heard the familiar whine of his car's engine. The whine stopped and in a matter of seconds, Cail was at her side, holding her to him. She relaxed and returned his hug, resting her head on his shoulder.  
  
"I thought you might not come," she told him, pulling away. He looked at her, his eyes serious for once.  
  
"I couldn't do that to you," he said, sitting down. "I know how much it means to you." Riley nodded.  
  
"Thank you, Cail. You're the only friend I've ever had." She sat down next to him and leaned against him. "Do you still want to know what that dream was about?" Cail nodded eagerly and Riley grinned.  
  
"Alright, I'm warning you though. It's a little on the freaky side and it probably won't make any sense. It doesn't make any to me, anyway.  
  
"I was standing on the roof of a mansion when a couple helicopters came into view. A couple people exited the mansion and stood on the front lawn, looking like they were waiting for the helicopters. One of them, an old looking guy in a wheelchair put his hands to his head and a lady with white hair put her hands up to the sky. It started to rain, then hail and the choppers struggled against the wind that had sprung up with the hail until finally they were blown back.  
  
"Then I was inside the place, in the hallways. A man with sunglasses on was talking to the guy in the wheelchair. I couldn't hear what they were saying but then the wall was blown to pieces and like CIA commandos or some such unit came through the hole. They put a bullet through the sunglasses guy and carted the guy in the wheelchair off. It ended there." Riley looked at Cail. He had an odd look on his face.  
  
"Told you it was weird," she said. "I gave you fair warning." Cail nodded distractedly and stood up, glancing at his watch.  
  
"Don't know about you, but my parents would throw a fit if they peeked into my room now. I'd better get going. Looks like your dream took a little longer than you expected." He tapped his watch and Riley spared a look at her own wrist. She cussed and stood up, already heading for the west entrance. Cail caught her arm and turned her around.  
  
"I'll give you a ride. I'm out all the time and my 'rents know it. Yours on the other hand." he trailed off, not needing to say what both of them knew. Riley nodded and they hopped into Cail's car. The ride to her house was silent but not an awkward silence. Cail was thinking, Riley could tell by the look on his face and when Cail started thinking hard, it was in your best interest not to disturb him. He dropped her off and zoomed away, still lost in his own world. Riley crept into the house, avoiding Tria's room as much as she could and snatched a few hours of sleep before her alarm clock woke her up an hour early. Too tired to complain, she got up and did a little of her homework before Tria poked her head in and told her breakfast was ready.  
  
Riley skipped breakfast entirely, telling Tria that she had a before- school study hall with her history teacher. Tria let her go, seething. For that, Riley gave her an extra perky smile when she left the house to get to the bus stop which probably made Tria even madder than Riley could ever have hoped. She made it to the stop before the bus got there for about the first time that whole school year and gained a few glances from people likely wondering if she was alright. Cail only gave her an amused glance when she sat down next to him.  
  
"Amazing. You're on time. That's got to be a first, what'd you say?" Riley grinned.  
  
"Alarm woke me up too early and I saw no point in going back to sleep when I had homework to do." Cail stared at her.  
  
"Wait. Did you just tell me that you voluntarily did your homework? Two firsts in one day, I never would have believed it could happen." He whistled approvingly then switched the subject.  
  
"Have any weird dreams last night?" Riley shook her head.  
  
"Not a one," she said happily. "First time in a while so you can add that to your list of firsts." Cail nodded as they got off the bus.  
  
"See you after school. I'll give you a ride home if you'd like." Riley nodded and left him to go to her first class, in a happy mood, another first, Cail noted. He too, went through his classes with an air of who-gives-a-crap-what-other-people-think. It surprised him how good it felt. He hadn't felt that good in a long time.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
Logan prowled through the halls of Xavier']s institute, causing some students to shy away and others to shake their heads at his mood. His wanderings found him at the kitchen, funny, because he had had no intention of going there when he had started walking. But food was food, and he opened the refrigerator, looking for something to eat. He decided on a soda and some cookies he found in the cabinet and sat down at the table to eat. A voice from behind him caused him to jump and slice through his soda can with his claws.  
  
"Can I join you?" There was a southern twang to the words and Logan grinned, turning around to face the girl. Her hair, brown with white in the front, was all messed up from a long night's sleep. She wore jeans, a tank top, and a pair of gloves. Logan gestured to a seat next to him.  
  
"As long as you don't mind getting me a new drink. You made me kill my last one." She smiled and pulled another can from the fridge, setting it down as she sat next to him. "Whad'ya want, kid?" Rogue sighed and played with her hair.  
  
"Do you think he's really as dangerous as the Professor makes him sound?"  
  
"Who, Pyro? Yeah, I recon so. Charles's never been wrong before. No reason to doubt he is now." Rogue nodded.  
  
"But I used to know him, I mean really well, and I just don't think that he's capable of doing all that," Rogue said, matter-of-factly, her accent ringing with her every word.  
  
"Yeah," Logan conceded, "but you saw that display back at Bobby's house. Judging from that, d'ya think he's capable of the things Charles says he is?" he challenged. Rogue sighed again and closed her eyes.  
  
"I guess he could be, but I really don't know. You don't think he'd come back and try to hurt one of us, do you?"  
  
"I'd say it's likely," Logan said bluntly, oblivious to what Rogue thought about that comment. "Why d'ya ask?"  
  
"I don't know. Guess it's paranoia," she said, laughing slightly. Logan raised his eyebrows but said nothing. Rogue got up from the table and forced a smile at Logan. "Thanks anyway." She turned on her heel and walked out, leaving a confused Logan behind. He shrugged after she left and turned to his cookies. Wasn't his problem what people though after all, was it?  
  
"Logan?" He looked behind him and nodded at the kid who had just entered the kitchen.  
  
"Yeah, what am I running here? A counseling service?" he asked no one particular as the kid took the seat opposite him.  
  
"Do you know what you made Rogue do?" Bobby asked, staring Logan down. Logan arched one eyebrow at him.  
  
"Naw. What'd I do this time?"  
  
"Rogue's up in her room crying because of you. Because of what you told her about John." Bobby, along with Rogue and Charles, were the few people who still called 'Pyro' John.  
  
"I told her the truth. You expect me not to do that?" Logan growled, taking a long drink of his soda.  
  
"No, I expect you to be a little more receptive of what other people are feeling. You're not the only person in this school, you know," Bobby stormed, standing up and tipping over his chair. "Just because you had a lost past doesn't mean you have to take it out on other people." With that, Bobby left the room, leaving behind an even more puzzled Logan. He shrugged it off again and took another sip of his drink.  
  
"He's right you know," a calm voice said from behind Logan. Logan rolled his eyes and nodded sarcastically to Xavier.  
  
"And you're on their side," he said, splitting a cookie in half.  
  
"No, I am merely observing and stating the facts, Logan," Charles said, moving to sit next to him. "You were a little too unobservant to Rogue's mood. If you had stopped to look, you would have seen her distress with your words."  
  
"And I suppose I hurt Bobby's feelings as well," Logan muttered. Charles smiled.  
  
"You're learning. Slowly, but you are learning. Try watching others around you. You'll be surprised," he said, wheeling out. Once he was gone too, Logan slammed his head on the table, upsetting his pop can.  
  
[Aren't you proud of me? I updated. So now, no one can complain, until I take too long writing the next chapter, which I won't because I'm writing it right now.] 


	4. Chapter 4

Dreamers Die Young - Chapter 4  
  
[~ indicates telepathic communications]  
  
Back at home, Riley avoided Tria's questions about how she arrived home so early and was she dating and if so, why she didn't know and headed up the stairs to her room. She made a mouth out of her hand and imitated Tria, bobbing and shaking the hand like Tria would shake her head. It made her grin and remembering Cail's look when she had told him that she had actually tried to do homework ended up in her rolling on the ground, tears of mirth streaming down her face. She composed herself and set to work writing a paper for her creative writing class. It was about the only class she wasn't failing and the only one she actually liked. She found that using her dreams was a good way to earn full credit on the essays. Of course, she changed a few details, like actually being able to hear the conversations and added a few things. Overall, it worked out to her favor.  
  
Sooner than expected, Tria called her down for dinner. As usual, there was silence at the table, only punctuated by the clatter of their forks colliding with their plates. Riley excused herself halfway through, saying she was tired and wanted to head to bed early. It was actually an experiment she wanted to try. If she went to bed and slept a little before she went to meet Cail at the park, maybe she would dream. It was the only way she had ever dreamed before so she figured she'd try the system.  
  
She lay down on her bed and stared at the ceiling for a little while, listening to the radio until she fell asleep.  
  
She was walking along the corridors of the mansion she had dreamed about all the other times. The halls were deserted and she wandered around, looking for something or someone. Interestingly, the hole that she had seen formed was still in the wall. Stepping through it, she came across a group of five people. The man in the wheelchair and the guy with sunglasses, along with the woman who had been with the guy in the wheelchair when the choppers had been blown away were there, along with two others Riley hadn't seen before, a guy and a girl. The guy had his arm around the girl and all five of them were watching the horizon.  
  
Riley walked up to the man in the wheelchair and tapped his shoulder, expecting nothing to happen, like the other times. Instead, he turned to face her and said, "Glad you could make it. Go stand over there next to Bobby and stay quiet." Riley nodded and turned towards the boy who had waved at her, the one with the girl and stood there, watching the horizon like everyone else.  
  
A speck appeared, approaching fastly. She glanced at the others to see if they were as disturbed as she was, but all of them were calm and not a one was looking at her. She turned back to the speck, which had now become a slightly defined aircraft of sorts. As she watched, it transformed into a jet of some kind and landed a small ways away from the assembled group. Two people strode down the landing ramp towards the group. Riley tensed involuntarily and forced her muscles to relax. This was a dream. She couldn't get hurt.  
  
The two walked calmly towards them and Riley could see them then. One was all blue, with seemingly red hair who seemed not to be clothed. The other had on a helmet of some sort and a billowing red cloak. Riley arched an eyebrow and turned to the man in the wheelchair. He seemed composed as did the two next to him. Bobby and his girl, on the other hand, were a little tenser. The helmeted man approached the wheel chaired man and nodded.  
  
"Charles. You think this small force can stand up to Mystique and myself?" Still composed, the newly named Charles returned the nod.  
  
"Yes, actually, Erik. I believe they will be sufficient enough to convince you to return to you lair and think over your plans. They have some flaws you have not thought over." The man named Erik raised his eyebrows slightly and frowned.  
  
"I think not, but we shall see." He motioned to Mystique and she nodded and walked stiffly back to the jet. He followed.  
  
"We'll be back, Charles. In force."  
  
Riley woke up and shook her head clear of the remnants of the dream and glanced at her clock. "Shit," she muttered. "Cail's gunna kill me." She rolled off her bed and crept out of the house, taking her bike instead of walking; she was late.  
  
Cail was pacing in front of the fountain when Riley rode up. She apologized profusely and he accepted it, giving her his standard greeting when they met here, a hug. She returned it and they sat down.  
  
"Why're you so late?" he asked, wrapping his arms around his knees. Riley watched a chipmunk for a while before answering.  
  
"I wanted to test something."  
  
"Test what?"  
  
"My theory." Cail sighed.  
  
"Your theory on what?" he asked slowly.  
  
"On my dreams." Cail smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand.  
  
"Riley, I thought you didn't want to dream those again."  
  
"Didn't. Key word there. I just wanted to test this little hunch I had about my dreams. I was right," Riley said, picking at a leaf.  
  
"You were right about what? Honestly, Riley. You're dropping hints and never a real clue here." He sighed. "Remember that I'm a guy and the first thing to remember about a guy is."  
  
"That guys are oblivious," Riley finished for him, grinning.  
  
"Right. Now, will you please tell me what you have been trying to tell me?" Riley laughed and nodded.  
  
"Sure. Okay, see you know how I've been having the dreams and whatnot. Well, I thought, since the only time I've been able to have them was before I met you here, then that might be the only time I can have them. So, I decided to test that. That's all there is to it." Cail nodded.  
  
"Riley, what did you see this time?"  
  
"A bunch of people met two others that came out of a jet. They talked and one said something about coming back in force."  
  
"Wait. I though you said last time that you couldn't hear the people."  
  
"Guess it changed. I can't predict dreams. No one can."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
~Logan.~  
  
"God, Xavier. Can't you just talk like normal people?" Logan growled, upset at having been disturbed from his sleep.  
  
~We have a new mutant, previously undetected because she didn't use her powers. Meet me at Cerebro.~  
  
Logan grumbled a bit but obeyed, yawning all down the corridors. He blinked a couple times as he came to the metal door that housed Cerebro and knocked, not knowing what else to do. The door only opened to Charles's retina scan. It swooshed open, Xavier having opened it from the inside. He beckoned Logan in and he walked in, gazing around. He had been in the room before, but it never ceased to awe him at its scope. Xavier wheeled to the end of the tier and placed Cerebro on his head.  
  
"There," he said, pointing to the new bright red dot in lower New York. "That's her."  
  
"So tell me why you didn't notice her before," Logan yawned, studying the dot.  
  
"Because she never voluntarily used her powers before. Just this night, she performed an 'experiment' to see when she dreamed, which is when I noticed her. Logan, I want you to take Rogue or Bobby and extend to her an invitation to join the school. I believe she might be a valuable asset."  
  
"A'ight. But why Rogue or Bobby? Why not Scott or Storm? They're more experienced."  
  
"Exactly. We don't want to frighten the poor child before she has a chance to decide. Rogue and Bobby will be able to help her because they are closer to her age. Don't underestimate them. And, I thought it might be good to give you some time with them to learn how they react to things." Xavier smiled and wheeled out, followed closely by Logan.  
  
Logan ran a hand through his hair, making it stand up on end. "When do we leave and what do we take to get there? Scott's a bitch about his car and my bike won't fit three."  
  
"I trust you to figure that one out Logan. You leave in the morning. Now, go get some sleep." 


	5. Chapter 5

Dreamers Die Young - Chapter 5  
  
The next morning was absolute chaos at Riley's house. Tria was expecting, so Tom rushed her to the hospital. Since it was their first child, they were determined that everything should go off without a hitch. That meant that Riley was ignored and left at home so she wouldn't 'disturb the baby' when it was passed around the room so people to goggle at. It was fine with her, but the way they had told her had ticked her off.  
  
Cail had dropped by early in the morning, just because and got told off by Tria who still had a vicious temper for someone in pain. He had promised Riley that he would come back once 'the ogress' had left. It made the day easier to bear. Cail had said that he would come by early in the afternoon, so it came as a surprise when she was halfway through her PBJ sandwich, around noon, that a knock came at the door. She finished chewing on her way to the door and opened it to three people she had never seen before. Correction, two people she hadn't seen before. One of them looked disturbingly like the Bobby from her dream. She shook it off and eyed them.  
  
"Yeah? What'd you want?"  
  
"We want you to come with us," a scruffy looking guy said. The girl next to him whacked his arm and smiled at Riley.  
  
"You'll have to forgive Logan. He really doesn't know how to talk to people," she said. Her accent stood out to Riley and she nodded.  
  
"So what is it you really want?" she asked, leaning against the door jamb.  
  
"Well, first, my name's Rogue and this is Logan and Bobby. We're here because a private institute upstate has had its eye on you and would like you to come join 'em. The school's made specifically for people like you and me." Riley nodded slowly.  
  
"Why should I go? I mean, what'll I do there that's different from the school I attend now?" Rogue nodded as well.  
  
"I thought you'd say that. The institute focuses on what you're good at instead of trying to make you a well-rounded person like your school here. You will have regular classes, like History and Language but also some personified classes that will help your talents."  
  
"Did you say Bobby?" Riley asked. A bit surprised at the change in subject, Rogue nodded.  
  
"Yeah, I did. Is there something.?" Riley shook her head.  
  
"Naw, it's just I had this dream, but it's stupid, plus I don't really know you. I'll have to think over this thing. My foster parents are gunna want to know all about it and stuff, so, I guess you could come back tomorrow or I guess you could visit Tria in the hospital. Her baby's due, I think." Riley shrugged. "So, whatever I guess." She grinned.  
  
"I guess a lot, could ya tell?" Rogue laughed and Bobby cracked a grin. Logan remained stony and looked around at the neighborhood.  
  
"Well, I think we have to be at the institute to tell the Professor how we did in recruiting ya, so I guess we'll leave now," Bobby said. He smiled at Riley and bowed a little.  
  
"We all guess," he said, making her grin too. After they left, Riley shut the door and leaned against it. She breathed out heavily and thumped upstairs to her room, the rest of her lunch forgotten. She say on her bed, thinking about that Rogue had said for a long while and, so absorbed was she in her thoughts, that she didn't hear Cail knock on the door. He had to throw a rock into her open window to finally get her attention. Riley gasped; she had forgotten about the meeting he had promised. She hurriedly opened the front door and let him in. He took it in good grace, 'borrowing' some food from the pantry to take up to Riley's room to eat while they talked.  
  
"So," he said, opening a bag of Doritos, "who came and what now?" Riley grinned.  
  
"Two kids and some guy came by, asking me to join some private institute up in Westchester. I told them I'd think about it 'cuz I really don't want to."  
  
"But you could make friends there, real friends," Cail protested. "What's this school for anyway?"  
  
"To develop my talents and focus on them in stead of trying to teach me things I can't get," Riley said, grabbing a handful of chips and sitting on her bed cross-legged. Cail pulled up her desk chair and they looked at each other.  
  
"Interesting," Cail said, nodding his head. "What's keeping you here?"  
  
"You," Riley answered simply. She saw no point in lying to him, he'd probably know it if she tried. "You're the only friend I've ever had." Cail looked up at a spot above Riley's head. His eyes unfocused and his face became serious, like he was thinking. Normally, Riley wouldn't bother Cail when he was thinking, but this time, she needed to know.  
  
"Cail," she said, waving a hand in front of his face. "What is it?"  
  
"Ah, it's nothing," he told her dismissively, rubbing a hand over his eyes.  
  
"Nu uh," Riley said, grabbing his hand and pinning it at his side. He looked at her with something that looked halfway between amusement and anger.  
  
"Look, Riley, it's nothing ok?" he said, shrugging because he couldn't use his hand to gesture otherwise. "I don't think that."  
  
"No, you don't think, Cail. What can't you tell your best friend?"  
  
"It's nothing!" Cail half yelled, wrenching his hand out of Riley's grasp. "Look. I don't want to talk about it, ok?" You have your secrets, let me have mine!" With that, Cail stormed out of the door and to his car, the engine starting up angrily. Riley watched his car disappear along the street then pulled from her back pocket a piece of paper Rogue had given her.  
  
Curiosity got the best of you I see. If you're looking at this, Bobby, Logan and I are on our way back to the Institute. Here's Bobby's cell number if you want to join us.  
  
Without hesitating, Riley ran down the stairs and picked up the phone.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Ya really think she'll call?" Logan asked, disturbing the silence of the car. Bobby looked up from staring at his hands.  
  
"I'd say there's a chance she could. She seemed at least a little interested." Logan shrugged and gazed out the front window. There was silence for a while, each alone with their own thoughts. Logan wondered why they even bothered going to the girl when she'd most likely come to them sooner or later. Bobby hoped they wouldn't wear out the cell battery waiting for Riley to call. Rogue sat holding the phone, staring at it like it she stared long enough, it would ring of its own accord.  
  
All three of them jumped when the phone did ring and it took Rogue a little while to compose herself. Before she could say anything, however, Riley steamed ahead.  
  
"Hi to whoever this is. Tell whoever's driving to turn around and get me, I'll be packed when you get there." Rogue arched an eyebrow.  
  
"Alright, Riley. We'll be there in about thirty or forty minutes." Riley hung up first and Rogue stared at the cell as if it might bite her.  
  
"Wow. Girl certainly isn't a very shy one when it comes to business."  
  
[Alright. First time I've updated in a while, hope you like it. Oh, and I do own X-Men so using them in my story is perfectly legal. Get real. I don't but I'm working my way through the paperwork and I will soon! So R&R people! And pray this chapter didn't end up like chap. 3. *crosses fingers*] 


	6. Chapter 6

Dreamers Die Young - Chapter 6  
  
Riley threw all her clothes into the duffel bag she had pulled from her closet along with her CD player and mountainous collection of CDs. She scribbled a hasty note to her foster parents telling them where she was going and that she probably wouldn't be back. They probably won't care that I'm gone, she thought to herself, as she raided the pantry. They've wanted to get rid of me for a looooong time.  
  
Figuring she still had a little bit of time before Rogue showed up, Riley slipped into the den. The den, among other things, housed the computer. She sat down and drafted a quick e-mail to Cail; no matter how mad she was at him, he deserved to know where she was going. She hesitated a moment before clicking the send button, still a little unsure about her decision. But impulse took over, and her finger came down, sending the fateful message.  
  
Cail would be crushed, she hoped. He deserved it. Or course, that was an awful thing to say, because she really didn't know any of his history until he came to her high school, just another kid looking for friends. In a way, she was sad to be leaving, but she prayed it was all for the better. The stupid school she went to now couldn't promise what Rogue's institute could. A chance for new friends and a new life. Somewhere where maybe, people wouldn't look at her with piteous glances because they knew she was a foster child. The institute held a lot of promises and she wanted to make sure each and every one of them was fulfilled.  
  
The doorbell rang, announcing Rogue's arrival, she hoped. But when she opened the door, it wasn't who she thought it might be. It was neither Cail nor Rogue and company, but the man in the cloak she had seen in one of her dreams. She arched one eyebrow and gave him a look that said 'you have exactly thirty seconds before I slam this door in your face.'  
  
"If you're a salesman you can leave," she said, hoping he was but knowing he wasn't. She still had a hand on the doorknob and it tightened as he started to speak.  
  
"Oh, I am no salesman," he said, his voice sinister and silky. "I am here for a Riley. Would you happen to be her?"  
  
"Who wants to know?" she asked. He didn't look too friendly to her eyes. "Depends who you are, really. To one person, I'm someone, to another I'm someone else." It was actually very true. With her foster parents, she was a cynical little teenager, but with Cail, she was a whole different person.  
  
"I'll take that as a yes," he purred. "Come with me. That institute can show you nothing compared to what I can." He said the word institute with contempt in his voice and Riley found herself wondering who the good guy was.  
  
"Who are you, though?" she said, stalling for time. Hopefully Rogue would show up and escort this creep off the premises.  
  
"Who I am makes no difference in the grand scheme of things, Riley. All that matters is that you come with me. Everything will be better that way, trust me." Somehow, Riley had difficulty believing that.  
  
"But it makes a difference to me," she said, the hand that rested on the doorknob growing sweaty with fear.  
  
"In that case, my name is Erik. Do you feel better now that you have acquired my name?"  
  
"Actually, it does, interestingly enough," Riley said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some work to do..." she trailed off, looking uncertainly at Erik.  
  
"Of course," he said. "How rude of me. I should have realized that you would have something to do on this day. My colleague John will be able to help you if you call this number." He handed her a slip of paper and gave a small bow.  
  
"I will not detain you any longer." With that, he left, turning on his heel and clipping off down the walk in front of the house. Riley closed the door after him and glanced at the piece of paper.  
  
You will come with me, whether by choice of by force. I am sorry, my dear, but this is the only way.  
  
She laid the paper on the kitchen table and sat down in one of the chairs. Too many things happening in one day...she put her head in her hands and stared at the wood finish of the table. A hand rested on her shoulder and she whirled around to come face to face with the blue-skinned woman she had seen earlier in one of her dreams. This was all too freaky.  
  
Riley stood and backed up a couple steps. "Who are you and what are you doing in my house?"  
  
The woman gave no reply besides launching herself at Riley and knocking her to the ground. Riley squirmed, trying to get loose, but it was to no avail. The woman held her tightly and didn't seem to want to let her loose anytime soon. Riley stopped and lay still, in a little bit of a shock as to what had happened and why. She closed her eyes and tried to figure things out, but thinking would have to wait for the blue-skinned woman shoved a cloth next to Riley's nose and next thing Riley knew, she was in dreamland, except that there were no dreams.  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
"Drive carefully, Logan," Rogue reprimanded as Logan sped along the suburban streets. Logan gave no reply but slowing down a little.  
  
"Anyone remember which house it was?" he growled, not exactly in the best mood. Bobby pointed to a house near the end of the street.  
  
"That one. Honestly, Logan. I would have thought you would have a better memory than that," he teased, getting only a frown from the other mutant. He sighed; why Xavier had wanted him to go was beyond him. He resolved to ask him once they got back to the institute.  
  
The front door was open and Rogue took it as a come in signal and entered the house, Bobby right behind her, Logan trailing a little farther behind, sniffing, hands curled into fists, ready for whatever might happen. Rogue stopped at the kitchen and picked up the piece of paper Riley had put there. Her hand flew to her mouth, dropping the paper. Bobby picked it up, read the message and passed it to Logan...who promptly tore it to shreds.  
  
"Magneto's got her," Rogue said, her voice a hoarse whisper.  
  
"Load off my back," Logan muttered.  
  
[AN: Short chapter I know. It'll get better, I promise. Cross my heart, hope to....no I don't hope to die so I won't promise that. But it will get interesting. Trust me. And the paperwork is taking longer than I thought, so the X-Men aren't mine yet, but my lawyer says they should be in about a trillion years.] 


End file.
